Often it is necessary or desirable to coalesce non-synchronous data from different data sources into a single data stream, with samples in the combined data stream occurring at a constant rate. For example, in formatting compressed video data according to a particular protocol, a state machine may be employed to control the formatting of such data. Depending upon system exigencies, it may become necessary to re-establish the current state of operation of the state machine. This may be accomplished by inserting a particular codeword into the input data stream that the state machine is processing. The particular codeword may be provided by a system microprocessor controller which is operating asynchronously with the data being input to the formatter.